Blind leads blind[Lk. 6:44.] Saint Bede: “Thorns and brambles are bushes full of briers. They represent the hearts of those disfigured by the prickliness of self-indulgence, envy, concupiscence, and by the sharpness of irascibility, calumny, hatred, pride and bitterness—persons who are disagreeable toward their neighbors and as it were intractable. The fig signifies the sweet memory of the heavenly kingdom, and the grape the ardor of love of the Lord.” [“Homily II.25, On Dedication of a Church,” Homilies on the Gospels, Bk. Two, 259.]

[Lk. 6:45.] Saint Bede: “The treasure in one’s heart is the intention of the thought, from which the Searcher of hearts judges the outcome. Quite frequently it occurs that some persons perform good deeds of lesser importance with a resultant greater reward of heavenly grace. This is because of the intention in their heart to accomplish greater good if they could. Others, though they display greater works of virtue, are allotted smaller rewards by the Lord on account of the indifference in their lukewarm hearts.” [Ib.]

[Lk. 6:48a.] Saint Bede: “He strove to root out completely whatever base drives He found in the hearts of His faithful, so that when the traces of earlier habits and unnecessary thoughts had been cast out, He could have a firm and unshakeable dwelling place in them. He Himself is the Rock,...so holy Church has her Rock, namely, Christ, concealed in the depths of her heart.” [Ib.]

[Lk. 6:48b.] Saint Bede: “The explanation is obvious: The Church is often struck by distressful situations, but is not overthrown. If any believers are overcome by evils and yield, they surely did not belong to this house. If they had taken a stand upon the Rock of faith instead of the sand of faithlessness and inconstancy, they would have been absolutely incapable of ever being shaken....We should note that this flood of temptations assails the Church in three ways: One is tempted, drawn on and lured by one’s own concupiscence [Jas. 1:14], or is worn down by the depravity of false brethren, or is assaulted by the more open snares of those outside the Church. In another place, the Lord calls these temptations ‘the gates of Hades [Mt. 16:18],’ and rightly so, for, if victorious, they drag us down to everlasting destruction. Although the gates of Hades strike her they shall not prevail against her. For she is able to say truthfully to her Helper: ‘On a Rock hast Thou lifted me on high [Ps. 60(61):2].’ She is not vanquished by external forces because, by suffering martyrdom, she triumphs over the ferocity of the unbelievers who persecute her. She is not corrupted by false brethren because she refutes the dogmas of heretics by believing properly, and she avoids the vicious example of some...by living soberly and piously.” [Ib., 261.]